Fashion
The Popcorn Top Is The Latest Y2K Trend Making A Comeback
Another day, another return of an early-2000s trend.
Remember the popcorn top? The scrunched-up, crinkled garment that looked like it would fit your Bratz doll but could actually fit everyone from your dog to your dad? Core memory restored. Well, it’s back. These magically-expanding, textured tops usually came in a scoop-neck, short-sleeve silhouette blanketed in an abstract mass of rainbow colors or a patchwork print. They could be found anywhere from your local Limited Too to the drugstore near your grandmother’s house, but this time around, they’ve upgraded with modern-day takes from brands and designers. The popcorn top’s inevitable return joins a nostalgic resurgence that includes butterfly clips, baggy and low-rise jeans, and platform flip-flops, to name a few.
Emerging designer Chet Lo has gone viral for bringing back this quintessential texture in a hyper-colorful and exaggerated way. Lo’s innovative textured knitwear is incorporated throughout his collections, from cut-out dresses to leg warmers, bags, and balaclavas. His pieces have been worn by the likes of Dua Lipa and Doja Cat, confirming the top as a guaranteed cool-girl trend. French designer Marine Serre also brought this throwback texture to her Spring 2022 collection with patchwork prints and bold hues.
Other cult-favorite brands are also modernizing this look, such as Braindead’s color-blocked cardigan, Stussy’s logo popcorn top, and Weekday’s extra-spiky knit top. Apart from the modern iterations of this Y2K trend, head to Depop, Poshmark, or eBay for sellers offering the early-aughts versions that you remember ever-so-fondly. And, if you need any more reasons to lean into this nostalgic trend, it’s Beyoncé-approved, too.
We’ve tracked down the designers and brands nailing the popcorn top’s 2022 resurgence and curated the below shopping edit of your childhood dreams.
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